My Dear Teacher!
by Biocore
Summary: This was about the fifth time during class today that Mai had sighed. I wonder what’s gotten into her? I know the new teacher is somewhat cute, but don’t tell me she still likes him!
1. Lesson 1: Sigh

Note: I created all these characters. Any similarities to any existing individuals, fictional or real, are purely coincidental.

My Dear… Teacher?!

*Sigh* This was about the fifth time during class today that Mai had sighed. I wonder what's gotten into her? I know the new teacher is somewhat cute, but don't tell me she still likes him! It's been like a month already- Wait. You're just hearing this now, aren't you? My apologies, my name is Kisane Hagara. My friends like to call me "Kiss", but I honestly have no experience in that field at all… I'm much too shy, to be honest. The mere thought of romance itself always gives me goose bumps; it's just so foreign… Oh, but I'm rambling, sorry. I'm sure we'll have better time to be acquainted in the future. What I was talking about before was my best friend Mai Ouka. Yes, her last name means wolf, but that's not much to judge her by. You see, she's been acting strange lately. Well, stranger than usual. It all started when we got a new teacher for our homeroom…

-One month ago-

"Mai! Wait up! You know I'm no good at running!" The black-haired girl turned back to her friend. "Sorry Kisane, ya snooze ya lose!" And with that she sped off to the cafeteria, leaving poor Kisane behind. The red-haired girl stopped beside a wall and leaned on it to catch her breath. Kisane was good at a few things, but physical activity was not one of them. She had always had a general shyness about exposing herself, so she absolutely hated the mandatory bloomers in gym class, and even without that she didn't have great lung capacity or energy. However, she could most likely win any trivia show she went on. The shy girl often spent quite a bit of her time reading books and looking up information on the internet, and had a bad habit of rambling on about things she knew. But her friends usually didn't mind, since she did have a very pleasant voice and her flustered reaction when she realized she had been rambling again was always worth seeing. Mai, on the other hand was the opposite. She loved competing against people for no real reason and had a very big mouth, which often got her on people's bad side. And worst of all, she usually won what she was competing in, and afterwards glorified the term "sore winner". It was a wonder how her and Kisane stayed friends, and yet somehow their differences were what kept them together.

A short jog later and Kisane had caught up to Mai and sat down at the table with her. "Mai, was it really necessary to run like that?" Mai grinned. "Oh yeah. You always gotta be first when the prize is this!" She held up her prize, a tasty looking chocolate cornet. A VERY tasty looking chocolate cornet, with a little bit of the liquid goodness inside dripping from the open end. Kisane had to put a hand to her mouth to avoid drooling at the sight. She craved sweets like they were her blood, and this… this had to be the king of chocolate cornets. "C-C-C… Could I h-have a little, please?" Mai smirked. "Remember what I said before? Ya snooze, ya lose, Kisane. Besides, maybe if you didn't eat so many sweets, you'd run a little faster." She took a small bite of the dessert and licked a bit off the chocolate from the inside, relishing in the delicious flavor until she heard a small whimper from beside her. She turned to see Kisane, but her expression made her look like she had just seen her entire family die in front of her. A small tear had actually run down the left side of her face. "Wah… K-Kisane, get a hold of yourself! You're 18, for crying out loud!" The red-haired girl whimpered again, loud enough to make Mai worried that somebody was going to start getting curious. "Gah, okay, okay, you can have half. Just don't cry, okay?" She reluctantly split the cornet in two and gave the pointy end to her friend, who instantly cheered up and took a hungry bite out of the piece, smearing a little chocolate paste at the end of her nose.

Mai couldn't help but laugh when Kisane went cross-eyed looking at the smudge on the end of her nose, which she suddenly licked off with her long tongue. Mai looked away and shuddered. "Ugh, could you not do that in public please? It's not right." Kisane pouted a little. "I can't help it if my tongue's a little longer than usual… Besides, I thought you liked it back when we did…that… at your house a few summers ago." Mai blushed and glared at her redheaded friend. "I told you NOT to mention that again! That was… I just… It's in the past now, and I'm not like that anymore. I like men now, like I was supposed to…" She turned away and the girls ate the rest of their lunch in silence. Once they finished up, the pair went into the library and Mai covered her face with a book. Kisane felt awful. She didn't know Mai was really that touchy about what they had done all those years ago, especially with the reactions Mai had given her the entire time. _I guess it's not something she can laugh off… Poor Mai. She's so worried about being with people now… I miss our younger days when we'd stay in her room for ours and play games and stuff, and we didn't care about men or love or anything… _She hesitantly reached out a hand, then placed it on her black-haired friend's shoulder. "Mai… I'm sorry I brought up that thing. I didn't know you were so angry about it… I promise, I'll never mention it again." Mai sighed. "No… I'm sorry Kisane, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. It's just… whenever I think of that day, it's so much harder for me to think the way I should, it always makes me want to go back to you and the past. I just… don't want people thinking s-something's wrong with m-me…" A small tear trickled down her face. Kisane moved in to hug her, and was met with no resistance. "Oh Mai… sometimes I wonder which one of us is more fragile." She giggled quietly, which made the smallest hint of a smile appear on her friend's face.

"Thanks, Kiss', you're a good friend. And to answer your question… I still have the title of toughest. You still have to be the cute one." Kisane giggled again. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, let's start heading to class, the bell's about to ring." Both girls got up and headed down the hallway, but were soon sprinting as usual. This time, however, Mai let Kisane catch up as they got nearer to their destination. They entered class just as the bell chimed, and sat down in their respective seats. Students soon filled the room and began chatting amongst each other until the teacher came in. She cleared her throat to get attention. "Now class, I know this may seem unexpected, since we've had a mostly good run this year, but I am sad to report that… I will be replaced as your teacher for the rest of the year." Some students made disappointed noises, other held back smiles. Mrs. Gekka was not very famous for being well-liked, and although she did have a small fanbase, most students didn't enjoy her attitude. She started again. "Your new teacher will start today, right now. I am pleased to present Mr. Takara!" She gestured towards the door and a young man stepped in. A very young man, much to everyone's surprise. He couldn't have been much more than 30, with slick brown hair that was obviously gelled back, and an extremely casual looking blue shirt and jeans. He smiled and waved to the class, and anyone listening closely would have heard a few girls in the back make "ooh" noises as they almost fainted. "Good morning class, my name is Mr. Takara. I know I look a little young, but trust me, I've worked very hard to learn what I need. I'm hoping I learned enough, it looks like you've left me a very smart class Mrs. Gekka." About half of the girls in the class were blushing by that point.

Mrs. Gekka smiled. "Oh yes, they're very well behaved… usually. I think you'll do fine. Well anyway, I best get over to my new class, see you!" Most of the class waved goodbye out of politeness, then turned their attention back to the young man, who had written his name on the board. "So, good afternoon to all of you. My name is Mr. Takara, and I'll be your teacher from now on. I come from Osaka, which is a little ways away, but I moved here to get some peace and quiet. I hope that I can teach all of you as well as Mrs. Gekka has in the past, and that every one of you gives it your all so that you can have a bright future. Any questions?" Most of the class simply stared, Mai included. Kisane turned to look at her. She was blushing a little bit and circling one area of her desk with her finger while smiling dreamily. _Oh no… don't tell me she's fallen for him! A teacher, of all people! I mean if it was some nice guy from around here I'd be fine, but a teacher… You're breaking my heart, Mai. _The red-haired girl turned away and sulked for the rest of the class, while her friend continued staring at the young teacher. She was certain that she had to have him. She didn't know how, or when, but she knew she would have him eventually.

-To be continued-

Note: Yeah, sorry, that ended kind of oddly. I wanted something short (compared to my normal length) to kick off the series and generally just set up everything. The chapters after this should be a little nicer.


	2. Lesson 2: Togetherness

Note: I created all these characters. Any similarities to any existing individuals, fictional or real, are purely coincidental.

My Dear… Teacher?!  
Lesson 2

The bell chimed, signaling that it was the end of the day. Students rushed from their classrooms and either crowded around the lockers or simply left. Mai slowly wandered out behind her classmates, lost in thought. A worried Kisane followed her, not knowing what to say. "Uh, Mai, are you okay? You seem a bit… out of it." The black-haired girl didn't answer her. "Oh come on… Mai! Answer me!" Her friend turned to her slightly. "Eh? Oh, sorry… Just thinking." Kisane sighed. "About what?" Mai turned away. "Oh nothing… Anyway, mom said I had to be home early tonight to… help with something. See ya!" Before her red-haired friend could get in a word she had already dashed off, nearly knocking over a few students as she went. "Oh Mai… Is it that bad?" Kisane slowly trudged home, each step bringing her closer to the rest of her life, something she was beginning to dread if her suspicions were true. _I know Mai is straight now… But how could she fall for a teacher?! That can't be any better than if she liked me… I guess I shouldn't have thought she would be normal when she said she liked men._ She sighed heavily and continued walking as the sun's light, still high in the sky, began its slow path down and away from Japan to another part of the world.

Kisane quietly greeted her parents before going to her room. She sighed and put her schoolbag down, then plopped onto her bed and lay on one side. Opposite her was a small night stand with a photograph of her and Mai that had been taken a while ago, a little after Mai had decided she would rather have a man than Kisane. They had stayed good friends despite Kisane's somewhat hurt feelings, and here they were grinning happily as they stood at the top of a very tall water slide in a water park they had visited on a trip to Canada. The red-haired girl smiled faintly as she recalled what had happened after the picture. Mai had, of course, worn a red two-piece bathing suit that didn't look like it was meant for more than just that - bathing. Kisane had naturally chosen a very non-revealing blue one-piece that looked very cute without showing off too much. At the end of the ride, both girls had emerged from the pool at the bottom after hitting it at some ridiculous speed, and Mai had just about jumped out when she noticed a very odd red thing floating on one side of the pool. She looked down and let out a small cry, then quickly scrambled and hastily recovered herself before too many people realized what she had. Of course Kisane had gotten to see quite a bit more before then, but the little glimpses she caught of Mai's body from time to time were always interesting, especially since she was always growing in the areas that counted.

After that Kisane had convinced her friend to buy funnel cake, something she had heard about before from another friend, and it was probably the most delicious thing she had tasted all day. She even got seconds, this time with heaps of sugar frosting. When she was done Mai had a laughing fit at the mess of sugar Kisane had gotten all over her face, which she promptly licked off and acted like it was never there. _She didn't bug me about my tongue then… why now? What happened? Did I say something, did Mai see something? Why does it seem like we're not so close anymore… _The red-haired girl hugged the picture, then planted a small kiss over the small image of Mai before placing it back. _"Mai, Mai, Mai, my darling…" _She sighed again. "But not anymore." She turned away from the picture and sniffled, then got ready for another long, lonely night.

-The Next Day-

(Mai's Perspective)

"Uwaaaaah~" Mai's mouth stretched wide as she let out a loud, lazy yawn. "It's gonna be one of those days…" She hopped out of bed and put hew slippers on, then slid into the bathroom for a few minutes before going downstairs for breakfast. While looking for something to eat, she began singing a tune. _"Cooking is so fun, cooking is so fun…" _She continued humming the tune over and over until she held up a box of cereal. The black-haired girl poured it into a bowl and added milk. "It's ready!" She laughed and sat down to eat. Several spoonfuls later she was done and going back upstairs to get ready. Once she was done that, she sped out the door. "Woo! I bet I can beat Kisane there today!" Almost half an hour later, to Mai's surprise, Kisane was just walking through the school's open gate. "WHAT?! NO WAY!" The surprised girl sprinted forward at full speed towards her quiet friend. Kisane turned around just in time to see Mai coming towards her, arms extended in what looked like a two-pronged attack. "Oh my…"

(Kisane's perspective, earlier that morning)

"Hah…" The red-haired girl slowly sat up and stretched, then hugged herself. _Hmm… I wonder why I feel like something good's going to happen today? I wouldn't mind that at all, though…_ She slowly got out of bed and entered the living room, making sure to be very quiet as to not wake her parents. Unlike Mai, whose parents were usually either away or sleeping too heavily to notice her, Kisane's parents were almost always home, so they were upstairs and she was downstairs. She had chosen this herself, since their home was relatively small and she usually got up before they did, and this was the best way to not disturb them. The quiet girl went into the kitchen and fixed herself a bowl of berries with a light coating of sugar while listening to the radio, which was very quietly playing some soothing piano music. Kisane made a small noise of content and smiled blissfully. The morning was her favorite time to treat herself; it made the rest of the day seem so much lighter. _I wish I didn't have school,_ she thought to herself, _relaxing like this all day would be so wonderful._ Despite her objections, she managed to get herself dressed and packed for school, earlier than usual even. "I might as well be early. I wonder what Mai's reaction will be…" With that amusing thought in mind, she put on some new roller skate shoes she had bought the other day and began rolling down the sidewalk, carefully avoiding the slowly expanding number of pedestrians.

Eventually she reached the outer walls of the tall building and stopped to change her shoes from skates to normal shoes by clicking the small wheels out of their sockets and putting them in her purse for later. She was just about to walk past the open gate when she thought she heard Mai yelling something. She turned and saw Mai heading straight for her, arms out in what looked like a two-pronged attack. "Oh my…" She began running as fast as she could, hoping that maybe she would be safe once she got inside. Her friend called from behind her, slowly catching up. "WAIT! KISANE! I'M GOING TO GET YOU!" The red-haired girl ran down the hallway, avoiding a few students as she ran past, but as she rounded a corner she tripped and landed rather hard on her knee. "OW! Ow, ow ,ow…" She turned around to see Mai looming over her, a somewhat exaggerated expression of menace on her face. "Oh no, please don't hurt me!" Kisane turned away, but suddenly felt Mai pat her on the back. "Why would I hurt ya? I wanted to congratulate you for actually beating me at something!" Kisane sniffled. "Oh. Uh… thanks." She smiled weakly, causing Mai to blush and hug her. "My god, you're too cute, you know that?" The shy girl blushed as well, but hugged her friend back. "Th-thanks, Mai. It's good to have you back after yesterday." Mai coughed slightly. "Aha, sorry about that… I just wasn't expecting our new teacher to be so… good looking. I'm over it now, just initial shock. Now, you think you can walk? You fell pretty hard."

Kisane nodded and got back up slowly, wincing as she put weight on her left leg. "Ouch… That's going to bruise, how awful…" Mai smiled suggestively. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?" Kisane's face went as red as her hair. "N-N-No, that's n-not necessary! I c-can walk just f-fine!" She only went four steps before almost tripping again. "Ow, okay, maybe not…" Her black-haired friend lifted her by her left side. "Here, infirmary's this way." The two slowly made their way to the nurse, who examined Kisane's knee. "Ah, it seems you've moved the knee cap a little and damaged the muscle. This should fix the first part, at least…" She gave the knee a small tap with a hammer, causing Kisane to wince, then rubbed it a little with some cold gel. "Now, it will probably still hurt a little when you move, so I recommend taking it easy for the rest of the day. Do you have any physical activities planned for today?" The red-haired girl shook her head. "Okay, good. Please try to be more careful next time, okay?" They exited the infirmary, Kisane now able to walk slowly without support. "I'm so sorry, Kisane… If I hadn't run after you like that, you wouldn't have gotten hurt…" Kisane shook her head. "No, it's fine. If wasn't so easily scared, maybe I would have looked where I was going. And besides, I got to see your cute side again, that's something I missed." She smiled, and Mai grinned back. "Yeah… I guess not everything was bad back then. Say, I have an idea…" Her face began reddening slightly. "I feel bad about bugging you about the tongue thing yesterday, so how about tonight we can stay at your place and we can… do whatever you want. For old times' sake?"

Kisane was overjoyed. She hugged her friend tightly. "Oh Mai, that's so sweet of you! Even the very idea is more than enough for me… I promise, I won't ask for anything bad. Does that sound okay?" Mai grinned. "Sure, that sounds great… But could you stop making a scene? My reputation is already a little odd around here, and adding 'lesbian' to it is not really what I need." The red-haired girl released her grip. "Oh, sorry. Just got a little excited there…" The two girls started laughing to themselves as the bell to start classes chimed.

-Lunch-

The chatter of students echoed throughout the hallway as lunchtime began. Kisane and Mai sat down at a small table at the end of a row as usual. "Mmm, I can't wait to eat! Mom packed my lunch today and she said there'd be something special~" Mai quickly opened her lunch box and smiled. Inside was a very generous serving of Mai's favorite: rice balls filled with grape jelly. On the side was a container of chocolate dip and some chicken strips. Kisane drooled a little. "Oh, that looks so good… Could I have one rice ball please?" Mai smiled. "Sure. I'll even dip it in chocolate for ya." She dipped one of the delicious confections in the sweet chocolate and handed it to her friend, who was almost fainting from how good it looked to her. "I'm so not worthy to taste this…" She took a small bite and shed a tear of happiness. "So good…" She slowly finished it off, savoring every bit of it. "Oh yes… Thank you so much Mai, I have to make that up to you some day!" The black-haired girl laughed. "Oh no, just seeing your reaction was enough! You like sweet things way too much." Kisane opened her own box and started chowing down on some sushi while Mai enjoyed her rice balls. "Om nom… mmh, I have to see how mom makes these, they're so good!" A few minutes of feasting later and both girls were very satisfied with their meals. They headed outside to hang out a little before their next class, but were soon back in again.

"Ah… time to hit the books again, eh Kisane?" The shy girl nodded. "Yeah… Oh well, at least tomorrow's Friday. Actually, speaking of that saying, it sounds rather odd doesn't it? We don't really hit our books. Most of us, anyway…" She gave Mai a small wink. The black-haired girl giggled. "That was one time, Kisane! I can't believe you're not letting it go." It was Kisane's turn to laugh now. "It was so funny though! You really sent that book flying." A few minutes of conversing later and the two girls were at their class and seated just in time for the teacher to come in again. While he taught the day's lesson, Kisane noticed Mai was staring at him again, but this time she noticed she was being looked at and turned away, blushing. The second time Kisane caught her, she stealthily passed a note. "_You're too cute when you blush like that, Mai! I'll let it slip for today. And I admit he is pretty cute… Just remember what you promised me tonight. ~Kisane"_ Mai blushed again, but smiled at her friend. Kisane had to be one of the most understanding people she had ever met, and it always pained her a little to remember her eerily calm response to the day they broke up. Of course the red-haired girl had broken down just when Mai had gotten out of earshot, which led to Mai coming back and eventually a big pity party, but the fact that Kisane hadn't even shown the slightest signs of resisting always got to her. _That's why we have to stay together… I have to make sure nobody takes advantage of her. She's too good for that. _Kisane smiled back just as pleasantly, oblivious to her friend's thoughts. When the coast was clear again, Mai slipped a note into Kisane's hand. _"Thanks Kisane, you're too good to me! I promise you, I'll come over tonight. And I'll do anything you want. ~Mai" _

The red-haired girl coughed at the underlined word and the ideas it put in her head, while Mai giggled quietly and went back to taking notes. She looked over the teacher again and sighed. He was so handsome, it was maddening! She wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, this new teacher drove her off the deep end and gave her way too many inappropriate thoughts, but on the other hand she knew Kisane still had a bit of a thing for her, and she admitted she knew what the shy girl was capable of. Either way, both relationships were considered wrong in one way or another, and she just couldn't find any normal guys she liked. _There should be a class for this romance crap, it's harder than any numbers they could ever throw at us… Ugh… Well, I gotta stay positive. Kisane's not that bad if I can get over the awkwardness… _She sighed again and tried to think positive thoughts as she continued scribbling in her notebook, not really paying attention to what she was writing.

-After School-

Mai waited outside the school gates, shivering slightly. It was always cold at night during the school year, even when it got closer to summer. Apparently Kisane had something "very extra special", as she had put it, and had to go to her locker to get it. _I wonder what it is? She has a bad habit of being overly extravagant with her gifts. It'll probably be cute, whatever it is. Everything about that girl is cute. _She began humming a tune, hoping her friend didn't need any help with the gift. Sure enough, she heard light footsteps coming towards her and soon Kisane was there, holding a large wrapped box with a pink bow on one end. "Hah… Hah… Here it is! But you can't open it until we get to my place, okay?" Mai giggled. "Okay, but it better be worth it!" She took off at a mild speed with Kisane following behind, and they smiled and laughed as they rounded corners and raced through nearly empty sidewalks. Eventually they both stood inside Kisane's living room. "Okay, you can have it now." The shy girl meekly held out the box and Mai gently grabbed it and unwrapped it. She opened the lid of the box and was startled to find a fluffy pillow inside. The pillow itself was a light blue color, Mai's favorite, with a stitched design that resembled a wolf running across a plain. The work that had been put into it surely would have shamed some of the other talented artists at the school. Kisane blushed. "I-I thought that it suited you… Since your last name means wolf, and you're so good at running…" Mai's smile was the widest it had been in a while. "Oh Kisane… You really didn't have to do this… Come here, you!" She playfully tackled the red-haired girl onto the couch and wrapped her in a tight bear hug, squeezing her small frame against her own built physique. "You cute little girl, you…"

Kisane struggled to get out a reply. "Mmph… I'm glad you like it, but I can't breathe…" Mai loosened her grip and allowed the red-haired girl to lie on top of her. "Hehe, sorry about that. It's just… That really means a lot to me, Kisane. You're always so nice to me all the time… I wonder how I could ever do without ya." The shy girl blushed brightly. "Ah, you can't say those kinds of things, Mai! They drive me crazy…" She lay her head down next to her friend's, and planted a light kiss on her neck, then another on her lower jaw. Mai winced slightly. "Mmh… I see you're already thinking about that sort of thing…" Kisane kissed her gently around the neck a few more times, then moved up and nuzzled her cheek. "Mmm… Your skin smells as good as ever, Mai. Thanks for letting me get this close to you." The black-haired girl kissed her friend on the cheek, giving a somewhat forced smile. "Really, I should be the one thanking you. Without you, I would have missed out on so much… And you don't have to hold back, you know. I can see it in your eyes, you want to go further…" She hesitantly took a deep breath, sticking her fair chest out and against Kisane's much smaller one. "N-No, you don't need to do that for my sake, Mai. I just want tonight to be about us, as good friends. No sex, no bad choices, no worrying…" She moved lower down, snuggling her face against Mai's chest. "The only thing I might plan on using these for is a nice set of pillows… Ah, I can hear your heart beating. Heh, doki, doki…" Mai felt relief wash over her. She knew Kisane wouldn't ever force her into anything, but hearing her say it made it feel so much better. "Damn it you're cute…" She stroked the long, red hair in front of her, enjoying the familiarity of its silky texture and the wispy feeling that lingered when it passed between her fingers. "I hate to say it, but I missed this so much, Kisane…" The small girl kissed her friend's neck one more time. "I missed it too, Mai."

And so the two girls continued on into the night, simply enjoying the closeness of one another until eventually they fell asleep, the cute smiles on their faces illuminated by the moonlight.

-To be continued-


	3. Lesson 3: A Break Up,Make Up,and a Plan

Note: I created all these characters. Any similarities to any existing individuals, fictional or real, are purely coincidental.

My Dear… Teacher?!  
Lesson 3

"Mmn… So warm…" Mai's eyes fluttered open as she felt something warm radiating against her face. She opened her eyes and almost screamed at the sight of Kisane's sleeping face only inches from hers. _OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH… wait, I came here, I'm such an idiot! I can't believe I forgot where I was. _She smiled as her sleeping friend let out another small breath. "Good morning, cutie…" She leaned forward a bit and kissed Kisane on the forehead, causing her to stir a little and let out a small noise. Mai suddenly got a very amusing idea, and smiled. "It's time to wake up honey, you're late for school!" A few seconds passed, then suddenly Kisane shot up off of the couch and ran to her room, shouting, "OH NO! I HAVE TO GET READY!" She was about halfway when her senses actually kicked in. "W-Wait… Isn't it Saturday? And didn't I have Mai over…?" She turned back to see Mai, sitting up on the couch and laughing hysterically. "Hahaha! Oh, I got you good Kisane!" The shy girl frowned slightly, puffing out her cheeks a little, then started laughing herself. "Okay, I admit, that was pretty good…" She went into the kitchen to fix herself some breakfast, followed by Mai.

"Thanks again for last night, Mai, you're such a good friend…" Mai giggled somewhat nervously. "Oh no, really, I didn't mind it at all. I should be thanking you, really, I was so worried you were gonna get hot for me and we'd wind up doing… adult things…" Kisane blushed intensely. "U-Uh, no way… I respect you too much for that kind of thing. Besides, what we did is all I really missed. I can go without sex, but I couldn't stand not having you hold me at night…" She gasped as Mai's arms suddenly embraced her. "I… Missed holding you too. You have this annoying habit of fitting just right, you know?" She placed her head on Kisane's shoulder, causing her to squirm slightly. "Um… That's really nice of you, Mai, but if you keep that up I might just forget that you're not romantically interested in me…" The strong girl released her grasp. "Ah, sorry. I guess I'm still a little caught up in the feeling… It's so awful, I really want to be a normal girl but I just can't fall for any of the guys at the school!" She sighed heavily. Kisane sighed as well. "Yes, there doesn't seem to be anyone of either gender that I can associate with… I'm just no good with people." _Aww… She has no self-esteem at all around strangers… _The quiet girl placed some crepes on the table, much to Mai's surprise. "Oh wow, I haven't eaten these in forever!"

They sat down and made the customary "Thanks for the food," then began eating. Mai happily chomped and slurped the delicious confection while Kisane took her usual controlled bites. Eventually both were finished and leaned back a little in their chairs, with the black-haired girl sighing contentedly. "Oh Kisane, you're such a devil with that kind of stuff…" The other girl giggled. "Oh no, you're just exaggerating because you haven't had any good ones before." The black-haired girl waved her hand dismissively. "I don't think there are any better ones, and don't try to find any, ya hear me?" Kisane giggled again. "Okay, fine, I promise. You'll just have to eat my stuff and nothing else." Mai got up and put her plate down, then suddenly licked her friend's ear, causing her to yelp. "I could eat every last bit of... you…" Mai suddenly started shaking. "DAMNIT! NO!" She ran off outside, covering her face as she sobbed heavily. Kisane just stared into space for a bit, then stood up and leaned against the pointy edge of the table, blushing as she slowly positioned it between her legs. "Mai… You're not making this easy on me at all…"

-Mai's house-

Mai burst through to door and ran up to her room, completely ignoring her parents who were sitting at the table. "No! No! No! I'm not like that!" She slammed her door shut and collapsed on her bed, holding her face in her hands and crying loudly. "D-Damnit Kis… Kisane… Why do I keep… coming back to y-you…" She felt her body heat up a little as memories of when they were together started flooding her mind. "N-No… Go away… GO AWAY!" She yelled at the top of her lungs and grabbed her face in agony, then suddenly yanked down as hard as she could. She gasped as she felt a sharp, throbbing pain all down her cheeks. "W-what…" She looked down at her fingers and saw that her nails had blood around the tips. She was speechless, then at the thought of what kind of damage she could have done, she started shaking, and fainted.

She woke up a few hours later looking up at the ceiling and hearing the sound of a woman crying. The black-haired girl looked to the side and saw her mother and father sitting next to her bed, her father smiling solemnly while her mother's face was against his shoulder. "Ah, I see you're awake, honey… You gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling?" She yawned a little bit, then sat up. "Uh… fine. Why?" Her father hesitantly handed her a mirror. "Oh come on, what is all…" She stared in shock at her face in the mirror. Her normally attractive visage had been ruined by four long, red scars that ran all the way from under her eyes to the bottom of her chin. "…this… W-What… Did I?" She gently stroked one of her cheeks, wincing slightly as she touched one of the red marks. "Oh my god… I'm horrible, absolutely…" Her voice trembled on the last word. "Now Mai, I normally trust your judgment, but I must say this is completely unlike you. Did something happen with you and that other girl?" Mai looked down, ashamed. "Not exactly… This is entirely my fault. I… got angry at myself…" Her mother finally worked up enough calm to talk. "Why would you be angry at yourself, dear? You're such a good girl, and you're so pretty and good at sports." The black-haired girl sighed.

"I… A few years ago, when me and Kisane were still young, we… were together. I didn't think of myself as that type of girl, but something about her attracted me. We were fine for a while, until… rumors started. We got dirty looks from people, and eventually I couldn't take it… I had to leave her. We stayed friends, but at first I was a little cold to her. We were better recently, and then last night she wanted me over, she had been really missing our time together as lovers. I caved in and agreed, and I'm sorta glad I went. We really just hang out and hugged a little, nothing big, but then… this morning…" She held her hands to her face. "S-Something must have been wrong with me, b-because… I licked her ear like some kind of horny animal! God, I'm such a freak! I'll never find a guy!" Mai started crying again, and her parents moved forward to embrace her as she let it all out. While she sobbed into her mother's chest, the couple looked at each other with a shared concern.

Mai was excused for the next few weeks while her injury healed, with Kisane occasionally coming over to bring Mai's homework. However, Mai hadn't gotten over how she felt yet, and had her parents be in between the delivery so neither girl saw each other. This saddened Kisane immensely, as she blamed herself. Mai had to cringe at her own rudeness when she heard at the end of the third week that Kisane had gotten a fever from being too stressed. Her scars had mostly healed then, leaving only faintly-visible pink lines, so she decided she was ready to go back and face the music. It was Sunday, about mid-noon, and she stood outside the relatively pleasant house of her possibly ex-friend Kisane. _Okay… I've got to fix things. I was a jerk to Kisane and she doesn't deserve it at all._ She took a deep breath, walked up to the door, and knocked on it. At first there was no response, then a young-looking red-haired woman opened the door. "Oh… Would you be Mai?" The black-haired girl nodded. "Kisane has been… wanting to see you for a while. Please come in." They went into the house and the shy girl's mother gestured to Kisane's door. Mai slowly approached it, the feeling of dread increasing with every step. She opened the door and jumped at the sharp click made by the door, then slowly stepped inside and shut the door again. She saw all of her friend's things laying around like they hadn't been touched in a while. The girl herself was lying face-down on her bed, her head tilted so that it faced the wall.

Mai immediately noticed that Kisane was only wearing her underwear, leaving her petite yet surprisingly attractive form for Mai to soak in. "Oh god… This is starting off bad…" Mai bit her lip to avoid her sudden urge to stroke Kisane's soft skin. "Kisane… You up?" The redhead stirred a little, but remained unconscious. "Wah… Kisane, get up please, I wanna talk." This time her friend rolled over and rubbed her eyes. "Ugh… Mom? Is that you?" Once her eyes focused, she gasped and covered herself up with her blanket. "Ah! M-Mai! What are you doing here?!" Mai sighed. "I… Wanted to talk to you. There's a lot we need to discuss." Kisane's face took on a somewhat imposing look as her anger became apparent. "We certainly do. You haven't been very good to me lately…" The black-haired girl crossed her arms and sat down at the end of the bed. "I know… I've been a failure as a friend the last few weeks. And you have every right to hate me as long as you live. But… I don't want that. And I don't think you want it either. So Kisane… I am very, very sorry for everything I've done, and I had no right to shun you just because I was angry that I had failed at being straight. I had absolutely no good reason to make it look like I looked down on our relationship… And I feel absolutely awful about keeping you away from me for so long. Do you think you can forgive me?"

Kisane's frown lightened a little, but she wasn't going to let in so easily. "I'm not sure Mai, you really hurt me, you know…" She turned to face the wall. "I felt like I had done something wrong, like maybe I had… seduced you or something. Like maybe if I wasn't there, you'd have better luck being normal, and I felt so bad… It hurt just to think about how much I must have put you through if you had wanted to be normal the entire time…" Mai put her hand to her chest, feeling an ache from deep within her. "Oh Kisane… That must have been so awful, I… I feel like I shouldn't have come now. I don't deserve your friendship if that's what I've done to you." She turned away to the door and was thinking of leaving when she felt Kisane get closer to her. "Mai… I don't think I'll ever entirely forgive you, but you're right. I'd throw so much aside just to have you be my friend again." The black-haired girl turned to her friend, a small tear running down her scarred cheek. "You're too kind, you know that?" Kisane gasped. "Y-Your face! Is that why you've been away?" Her friend sighed. "Yeah… I overdid it a bit when I got home after doing that ear thing…" The red-haired girl frowned. "That wasn't very smart… So like you, Mai." She embraced her friend, and both girls hugged each other tightly as they began laughing and shedding happy tears. Eventually they got tired and lay down on the bed.

"Kisane… You're way too nice. Thanks so much." The red-haired girl giggled. "Can't help it. Too much sugar in my blood." She pecked her friend on the cheek, then gasped. "Ah! Sorry, was that-" Mai put a finger over her mouth. "Shush you. After all this crap, you might as well tie me up in bondage gear and spank my butt 'til it's red." The shy girl blushed squeezed her eyes shut. "Eww, don't make me imagine that! I like your butt better when it's got skin on it." Mai squeaked as she felt Kisane's tiny hand grab her rear end. "Ooh, you naughty girl! I didn't have sex in mind when I came over here, okay?" Kisane giggled again. "Sorry. Just had to check if it was still as nice as when I left it." Both girls burst into laughter at the red-haired girl's out-of-character comment, then hugged one more time. "Well, I hope you feel better soon Kisane. Now, if you'll excuse me, I had one more thing I wanted to do today." Her shy friend smiled. "Yeah… I already feel a lot better now that we're friends again. Goodbye!" Mai stood up, waved and left, also waving to her friend's parents as she went out the door.

The black-haired girl smiled to herself as she walked down the street. She felt extremely relieved that she had been able to make up with Kisane after all she had been put through. _She's such a sweet girl, I'm so lucky to have her. I must never ever do that to her again._ She sighed as she approached her destination: the high school. Mai had realized something else during her solitude: she still wanted Mr. Takara. At first she was able to pass it off as being attracted to his body, but as time went on she realized she honestly yearned for every aspect of him, physical and mental. Numerous fantasies of him holding her in his strong, adult arms had played through her mind, driving her crazy. She wasn't sure whether to feel worse about this or loving Kisane, but, and she regretted thinking this way, at least he was a guy. _Gah, I wish I had P.E. with him! He would look so sexy in a sweatshirt… _A perverted smile crossed her face as she reached the school's main doorway. "Hmm… I hope he's here. This is gonna get real awkward if it's empty."

Mai gently pulled on the door, sighing with relief when it opened. "Ha… That's good." She stepped inside and checked around. Hallways lay deserted and seemingly spotless, already thoroughly cleaned by the custodial staff in preparation for another beating. Almost all the lights were out, save for the occasional lit classroom, most likely containing its respective teacher, busily working away on papers as Monday got closer and closer. The black-haired girl resisted the urge to shout and listen for an echo, and instead quietly walked down the hallway, careful to duck under any windows with lights shining through them. She neared the staircase and picked up her speed as the tension grew. Her class was on the second floor on the opposite end of the school from where she would exit the stairs. She could almost smell the odd fragrance of old wood and chalk dust the closer she got. Oh my god, I can't believe I'm dong this! But… He has to know. Better now than never. Her heart beat faster and faster as she reached the top of the stairs and pushed open the door.

She looked around and saw more empty halls, so she began quickly walking towards her class, still trying to make as little noise as possible. She rounded a corner and stopped in her tracks when she saw that her room's light was on. She tensely began creeping towards the door when suddenly the handle clicked. She jumped and hid behind an indent in the wall where some old lockers used to be. The lights turned off in the room, casting the figure that emerged in shadow. It was beginning to walk away, but Mai worked up her nerves and reached up to touch it on the shoulder. "Uh… Sensei?"

-To be continued-


	4. Lesson 4: Hormones Suck

Note: I created all these characters. Any similarities to any existing individuals, fictional or real, are purely coincidental.

My Dear… Teacher?!  
Lesson 4

"Uh… Sensei?" Mai felt her heart rattling in her chest as the figure slowly turned around to face her. She nearly fell backwards as a female voice answered her. "Eh? Who is that? What are you doing here so late?" The black-haired girl composed herself enough to answer. "Aha, sorry, I was… looking for some work I thought I left in my locker. I thought maybe you were my teacher and wanted to… talk about things." The teacher giggled. "Oh, you don't have to lie to me! I know how us young people are always sneaking around at night and having fun! Anyway, bye-bye!" She turned and left, her steps making an odd squeaking noise as she disappeared into the darkened hallway. _What a weird teacher…_ Mai thought to herself as she began turning around to get back out of the school. A few minutes of stealthy evasions later she was outside, and she leaned against the wall and sighed deeply. "Fantastic… I didn't even get to talk to him after all of that." A young male voice suddenly pierced the silence. "Didn't get to talk to who?"

Mai jumped a fair distance into the air. "Ah! M-M-Mr. Takara! What a lovely evening we have, r-right?" The young teacher smiled. "Well, it is rather quiet out… But that doesn't exactly answer my question, Mai. What are you doing out here at such a time?" Mai's face went bright red. "W-Well… I was just looking for some work I left in my locker and I thought, you know, maybe I should get to know you a little better, or something…" She squirmed a bit as he leaned against the wall, no more than a foot away. "Well… What more would you like to know about me?" His calm gaze sent shivers up her spine. "Uh… Ah… D-Do you have a wife?" Mr. Takara chuckled. "No, I suppose I don't… Maybe someday. Right now I think teaching all of you will be more than enough work." He laughed quietly, and Mai nervously joined in. "Although you're not that bad, Mai. You and your friend there… Kisane was it? You seem to be some of the few that actually care what goes on. I like to see that in a student, it makes my effort seem worthwhile. Thanks." The black-haired girl blushed profusely and turned away, covering her cheeks in embarrassment. "O-Oh no, your w-way too kind, Mr. Takara! Kisane's really the one you should be thanking, I-I'm not all that great…"

She jumped at the feeling of his hand on her shoulder, and turned to face him. "Now Mai, don't be so modest! Sure, maybe your marks aren't as high as hers, but what's a number to say? I can see that you do try very hard, and that's what counts." She took a step back. "Ah… W-Well, if you say so… Uh… I gotta go!" Mai quickly dashed off before the young teacher could get off another word. "Hmm… Well she's certainly a fast runner." He chuckled and walked off to his car.

-Mai's House-

Mai burst through the door and ran up to her room, making sure to take a second to greet her parents and assure them that everything was fine. She collapsed in her bed, heart pounding, and squealed with delight as she hugged herself tightly. "I did it! I talked to Sensei! Eeee~" She rolled back and forth in her bed, laughing hysterically. "I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it! Heehee!" The black-haired girl lay on her stomach and sighed dreamily. "And he was so cute… Mmh, and so nice! The way he looked at me like that…" She shivered slightly. "He could drive any girl crazy…" She sighed again and spent the rest of the night in her room, tossing and turning and fantasizing about the young teacher and his dashing good looks.

-The Next Day-

Kisane was worried. Mai hadn't shown up yet and there was only a minute before classes started. _This isn't like her… I know she's not into school that much, but usually she likes to get here early to prove she's faster than me…_ She rubbed her hands together in anxiousness and looked down both ends of the road; but still nothing – until Mai suddenly appeared from nowhere, sprinting towards the gate like a maniac. "I'MLATEI'MLATEI'MLATEOHCRAPI'MLAAAAAAAATE!" She flew past Kisane, nearly knocking her over, and into the school. The red-haired quickly followed, eventually catching up to her winded friend. "Hah… hah… Hello… Kisane…" The black-haired girl managed to say between breaths. "Ah… Hey Mai. Why so late today?" Mai took a few more deep breaths and got some strength back in her legs. "Ah… Up too late last night. Stupid alarm clock wasn't loud enough!" Kisane giggled and gave Mai a quick hug. "Well, that's good. I was almost worried there, but I figured it was probably something silly like that. Well, I guess we better head to class now…" Mai nodded and they hurried off before they found out what the math teacher could be like when she wasn't happy.

Classes passed by rather quickly for Mai, her overjoyed state of mind certainly helping. Kisane was curious, but she had always found her friend's smile infectious and decided not to ask any questions. As long as she was happy, life was good. _I've never seen Mai so happy, not since we were together… I wonder if maybe she found someone? I hope so, she's due for a nice guy._ The red-haired girl smiled at the thought, then suddenly frowned again. _Wait… Oh, I forgot how to do this equation! Nooo! Stupid sexy Mai…_ She giggled quietly at her reference before puzzling over the set of numbers before her. Meanwhile, Mai was in her own little world. She dreamily worked over her math sheet, not really paying attention to what she wrote and probably getting a fair amount wrong. She'd get Kisane to help her later, most likely. _Oh Mr. Takara… You've smitten me, you sexy beast. I can't even concentrate on my work… I just wanna be there with him, I want to… Yes, I want to kiss him… On his nice lips…_ She sighed inwardly as images flooded her mind and left her feeling warm all over.

So they continued through the day, working and chatting and enjoying themselves, until before they knew it, it was their last class: Japanese Literature with Mr. Takara. Kisane immediately noticed a change in Mai's mood. She seemed almost afraid of the young teacher, or at least like she was revering him as if he was some kind of god. The black-haired girl blushed profusely and scurried into her seat, avoiding eye contact with him and staring out the window. Her friend was rather bothered by this. _What's going on here? Why is Mai so worked up over being near him? Did something happen… is that why she was up so late? Oh no, there's no way they… She wouldn't…_ She blushed as several incorrect conclusions popped in her mind, making her both upset and embarrassed. The class dragged on for her, and it seemed like a whole day had passed before the bell chimed, echoing in her mind. "Well… I guess I have to find out what's going on…"

The shy girl hesitantly reached out an arm as she followed her friend down the hallway. "U-Um… Mai?" The black-haired girl didn't respond. "Mai? Hello?" This time it worked. "Aha… Hey Kisane! What's up?" The red-haired girl was surprised at her friend's completely normal response. Something was definitely up with her. "Oh, nothing… I just wondered what all that was about in class." Mai looked puzzled. "The book we were reading? I don't mean to sound rude, but I thought it was a tad below your reading level, Kiss." Kisane pouted. "Hey, you know I don't like that name! And that's not what I was talking about… I meant you. You were pretty red-faced all class." She got a much more welcoming response from this question. "O-Oh, that… I'm sorry Kisane, I just can't help myself! That new teacher… he's just so mmph! Blame my hormones if you wanna get angry." The red-haired girl mumbled to herself as she though it over. "Well… Hormones are one thing, but you were acting really weird. I want to know exactly what happened between you and him… is that why you were up so late? Please don't tell me you…"

Mai just about fainted at the image that put in her head. "N-N-N-NO! Nothing like that! No way!" She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before talking again. "That kind of thing's wrong anyway… I'm certainly a minor by all standards. All I did was sneak out that night to have a little talk with him. He's a very nice guy, and very handsome… Can you blame me for wanting to know him a little better?" Kisane sighed; Mai did have a point. "Okay, okay… Just promise me you won't let it turn into anything regrettable, okay?" The red-haired girl put on the innocent face that she knew Mai could never resist, and it worked yet again. "_Damn those eyes of yours…_ I swear, I won't try anything… It's not like I would anyway, I'm just a high school girl. And, sorry about making you think I was up to something. Say, I know it's only Monday, but how about we hit the mall? I really need some new skirts, and maybe a new bra." Kisane smiled happily and nodded, and soon the two friends were running off to the local mall.

-At the Mall-

Mai jumped with excitement. She always loved the mall, even when she was too small to need what most of the stores were selling. She loved how big and open it was, and the variety was truly astonishing. The black-haired girl had once been convinced you could buy absolutely anything, and her suspicions were confirmed when she "accidentally" stumbled upon a number of mature stores about a year ago. Today's target was much less mature, thankfully. Mai skipped and hopped from store to store, looking for one that looked like it had a lot of good items, while Kisane tagged behind at her own happy pace and enjoyed the sight of her friend having fun. "She's so childish sometimes… I love it." She did a small twirl and giggled slightly. _I wonder if I'd be any good at dancing? Probably not, but Mai would get me into it anyway… Better not mention it to her._ Suddenly Mai shouted to her. "Kisane! Found it!" The red-haired girl ran up to her friend, and soon both were busily searching the rows for interesting things to buy and wear. "Ooh, this skirt is sooo cute! I'm taking it!" Mai grabbed a frilly object and tucked it under her arm, then continued gazing at all the colorful outfits before her. Kisane slowly walked around a circular hanger full of longer skirts that would go a little past her knees, looking more like a dress.

"Hmm… This looks nice. And such a pretty color!" She went into a fitting room and got it on, then stepped out to get Mai. "Hey Mai, how does this look?" Mai turned and gasped slightly. Her friend almost looked like she was wearing a dress, and she was… beautiful. "Wow, Kisane… That looks so good on you! Hey…" She took a good look at Kisane again and noticed the back end of the skirt had a bit of a curve to it before it went down. She giggled quietly."Oh my, Kisane… I think those sweets are finally getting to you! You're filling out a little more back there!" Kisane blushed brightly and ran back to the change room to check herself out. "What… There's no way I'm…" She turned to the side and noticed that she indeed had a little more backside. She actually looked kind of sexy now, rather than just cute. "Ah… It's true. I guess it's not all bad, though, maybe I could attract someone…" She blushed a little more, unaccustomed to thinking of herself as sexy. She looked down at her chest and sighed. "Now if only you two were a little more presentable…" _No, it's best not to think like that. I like my body._ She put her other skirt back on and placed the new one under her arm with the top she had picked out earlier and left.

She was shocked to notice that Mai had left. "Mai? Where'd she get to…" The red-haired girl looked worriedly among the many sets of clothing around her, but only saw many people that were not her friend. "Mai! Where'd you go?" Suddenly she noticed a set of long, black hair on a body that matched her friend. She even had the same clothes under her arm. Kisane was about to talk to her when she noticed what Mai was looking at: sport clothes for men. The typical white sweatshirt and boxers type stuff that most girls would want to see a sexy guy in. _What's she doing looking at those… I should see._ She was just getting close when she heard Mai utter the one phrase she never wanted to hear. "Mr. Takara… Would look so good in these. I want him…" Kisane let out a gasp, which caused Mai to do the same. She turned around and for once was truly terrified. Kisane looked like she was going to tear down the store, and could do it. "M-Mai… How could you say something like that?! HOW COULD YOU?! After all that talk about hormones and all that reassuring you gave me… that was all crap, wasn't it! Why can't you just see we were made to be together? Give up those stupid dreams of being with that old man and come back to me! I want you, and I'm going TO HAVE YOU!" As she slowly stepped forward, Mai wondered if Kisane's terrifying visage was the last thing she would ever see before she was destroyed from the waist up.

-To Be Continued-


	5. Lesson 5 Final: Class Dismissed

Note: I created all these characters. Any similarities to any existing individuals, fictional or real, are purely coincidental.

My Dear… Teacher?!  
Lesson 5

Kisane continued stepping forward, each one bringing her closer to the person of her desire… and possibly that person's demise. "N-Now Kisane, be reasonable! I know I said I want him, b-but… That doesn't mean I don't want you! It's just that we're both girls, and it doesn't work like that… You've got to understand, Kisane! You're a smart girl, you should know how this stuff is!" The red-haired girl was undeterred, while her black-haired target was getting more and more desperate. "Kisane… Don't do this, this isn't you! You're cute, you could have any girl you wanted, if you're going in that direction... I could maybe help set you up, once I find some!" No response. Kisane wanted Mai, and that's how it was going to happen. Mai sighed. She absolutely hated the idea of doing it, but maybe she'd have to knock some sense into her friend. She raised her hands up, tight-fisted, and took a big step forward. She was in fighting mode, no backing down now. Luckily, there seemed to be nobody nearby. "Kisane, I don't want to… but if you don't stop this crap, I'm gonna have to make you!" The red-haired girl ran forward, arms outstretched and fingers spread like claws. "I want you!" Mai sidestepped and gave a light push, hoping to get her friend down into a more vulnerable position. The angry girl jumped back and took a swing, attempting to latch on to one of Mai's arms. Mai quickly dodged and whacked the arm out of the way, then gave another push. Kisane stumbled back a little, but returned full force and tried latching on again.

This time her small hand made contact, and gripped with a force Mai didn't think the shy girl was capable of. "Ah! Get off!" The black-haired girl shook her arm, trying to dislodge the small hand, but it stayed on like it had been coated with superglue. "Mai! Why won't you just love me?!" Mai closed her eyes and gave a fair punch at the girl's arm, dislodging it and causing her to cry out. "Ahh! You… you punched me… WHAT KIND OF FRIEND ARE YOU?!" She rushed forward again, but this time Mai sidestepped and stuck out a leg, tripping her friend. The small girl let out a sound of pain as she toppled forward. Before she could get up, Mai grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her back, police-style. "No Kisane, no more! I don't want to hurt you…" Kisane struggle violently for a few minutes until she finally went limp. "Why… Why did we end up like this? I just… wanted love. You loved me, a long time ago, and we were so happy. Then people said mean things and you stopped, and I accepted that, even though it pained me so much…" A few tears ran down the side of her face. "And then this year, we had finally gotten everything together, and then he showed up, that damned teacher… You just had to fall for him, didn't you? You just have to go head over heels for a teacher and start planning wedding and all that stuff, just because you'd rather not be labeled a lesbian…"

Mai shook her head, trying to drown out all the accusations against her. Kisane kept speaking. "You convinced me that I shouldn't be so stressed, and it was just a phase… I tried thinking positive, and it seemed to be working. Then you came on to me, and I thought maybe my wishes had been granted, but instead you went and hated yourself because of what you had done, and threw me away like garbage. I felt horrible. You came and said sorry, and I so desperately wanted to believe that m-maybe we could be t-together again, but look at us n-now..." She cried loudly, her body shaking with sadness, and soon Mai found herself crying as well. She hated herself for doing this to Kisane, but every time she saw Mr. Takara, her insides felt like they were doing a backflip. He was just so charming! "K-Kisane… I can't help it…" She kneeled down on the floor and grabbed her friend in a tight hug, squeezing as hard as she could. She heard a light crack as a few vertebrae moved in a fashion they weren't accustomed to. Kisane leaned her head against Mai. "Is this our life now… fighting and making up because you keep getting hot for that teacher?" Mai sobbed. "I… I don't know anymore Kisane, I just don't know…" The red-haired girl gave her a light kiss on the neck out of instinct, then attempted to stand up. "M-Mai, we should go… This is pathetic enough without people watching." The two girls stood up, hugged one more time, cleaned up their faces, and left the store after paying for the few things that they had purchased.

-Later-

The two girls sat on Mai's couch, facing away from each other, staring straight ahead and neither one talking. Silence filled the room like dark clouds filled the sky on a rainy day. Kisane frowned and twiddled her fingers. This sucked. Mai sighed for the hundredth time. It was all she could really think of other than how much this sucked. Kisane leaned backwards against Mai. The tall girl's strong body was always a good support for her tiny frame, and once again it proved immovable, if not more slanted than usual. Maybe she'd just take a nap and wake up and everything would be fun again. She smiled meekly at the thought. As if it were that easy. Mai blushed slightly as she felt Kisane against her. She had always liked the feeling of the small girl against her back, warming her up, and once again she proved warm, if not a little colder from sadness. They stayed like this for a few more minutes before Kisane grew uncomfortable and Mai grew impatient for the warmth she was used to. "Damnit… This is boring…" Mai leaned backwards and Kisane yelped as she got squished, and for one reason or another she burped. And it wasn't a cute little burp either, it was something that even Mai had never been able to summon without a bit of effort. They froze, shocked by the sudden loud noise. A smile crept over the black-haired girl's face, and soon she was laughing like a madman. Kisane quickly followed, and eventually both were rolling on the floor, gasping and grabbing for air as their laughter continued for an incredibly long time. Eventually they stopped, exhausted, and lay next to each other on the floor. "Phew… Jeez, what the hell was that Kisane?"

The small girl giggled in embarrassment. "I don't know… it just came out like that… Hey, wait a minute. Why aren't we being angry anymore?" Mai smiled. "Too boring." Suddenly she leaned forward and grabbed Kisane's hand in hers. "Kisane… I know I've said it way too many times now, but I am sorry… I don't know how I can prove it to you…" Kisane pouted slightly, trying not to get sucked into her fantasy again. "There's only one thing you can do now… You have to march right up to Mr. Takara and confess. You have to lay your feelings on the line, and take it how it comes… And I'll be waiting here for you when it's all over." Mai slid back slightly, shocked. "You want me to do what now? After all this crap?!" Kisane nodded. "It's the only thing left. If you want him so badly, you have to risk what will happen if you tell him. We can't keep this game up, Mai. If you don't want me, then you have to see if you can have him, and if you can't, then you can finally move on. It's how I've remained your friend all these years after you broke up with me… I learned to move on." Mai's hand trembled. "But there's no way he'd want me, he's just too good, and he's older, and it's all wrong Kisane! Confessing to him won't make anything interesting happen. He'll just think I'm weird and shun me, shun me like everyone else did when they found out I liked you…" The red-haired girl squeezed Mai's hand. "You're exaggerating. Not that many people shunned us, and even then, you never gave it a chance to pass over. People are fickle, Mai. Even your feelings for Mr. Takara will be forgotten, if they even get out at all. If he's the man you say he is, maybe he could set you straight." Mai's eyes shimmered slightly. "Oh Kisane… you're absolutely right… Do you promise to be here when everything's over?"

The small girl smiled. "Of course. I've had so many moments of weakness that you've helped me through, I owe you this one." Mai moved forward, cheeks hot. "Kiss…" Kisane hesitated at first, but couldn't help it. "Mai…" Their lips met, and Kisane couldn't help but let out a quiet moan. She had missed this almost as much as the cuddling. They parted before anything else happened, and Mai smiled. "Mmn… Take that how you want. And now, I guess, it's time to see what becomes of me…" Kisane grasped her hand one last time. "I'm right here when it's over."

-At the School-

_I can't believe I'm in here again, doing the same crap…_ Mai thought to herself as she entered the large high school. It wasn't as late this time, though, and her entrance wouldn't be as frowned upon. This time, however, she was going to let it all out and take what was coming to her. Even if it hurt her for the rest of her life, she owed it to Kisane. If the small girl had to suffer because of her, she was going to suffer too. She made her way down the hall casually, somewhat able to hid the building anxiety within her. _I wonder how this is gonna go… He seems like he may understand. I really hope so… I wonder if he's ever been hit on before. I wouldn't be surprised_. She giggled quietly as she imagined the young teacher desperately trying to avoid a horde of female students, like something out of a cartoon. _Yeah… maybe it won't be so bad. And then I can stop hurting Kisane…_ She brushed her lip as the faint tingling of their recent kiss lingered. _She just has to be so good at that… Naughty girl._ Finally her destination neared, and the weight of the situation turned her feet to lead. "Oh crap…" Her left foot slowly inched forward, then her right one, and again her left as they picked up a slow rhythm. Her arm shakily reached for the door handle of her room, and after what seemed like forever she finally opened it. "Here goes…"

The door opened to revel her classroom, empty of students, the only other living being other than her (and a few insects, no doubt) was Mr. Takara, sitting at his desk and quietly marking papers. "Ah! Well if it isn't Mai Ouka. Thought of some more questions to ask?" The black-haired girl had to grind her teeth to stop from running away at his disarming smile. "Y-Yes… But… I need to think about it for a little bit." She slowly closed the door and sat down at a nearby desk, facing away from him and blushing slightly. "Need to think about it? Must be a very serious question. Take your time, I have no plans tonight." Mai nodded in thanks. She stared at the desk, still blushing, and traced her finger along some of the many cracks and scrapes that the desk had received over its years of service. _Worn and battered, and yet it still holds strong… Can I be like this? Kisane's like this, on the inside… And I'm certainly no help. That's why… why I have to do this now. Why I'm here. And hopefully, when this is over, we can smile again…_ She rubbed her eyes as they began to feel warm. Mr. Takara looked up. "You okay? You look like you're having an allergic reaction to something." Mai couldn't help but crack a smile. If only he knew. "No, I'm fine, just a… bit of dust." She stood up and walked over to his desk, putting her hands down on the edge to straighten herself. They were trembling. The young teacher reached out to feel one of them to see if she was sick. "What's wrong? You don't seem so good." A tear fell from her eye despite her efforts. "No, I'm not alright at all… I… I…" She took in a deep, shuddering breath, then looked him in the eye. "I love you Mr. Takara, I love you! You make me crazy!"

He pulled his head back a bit in surprise. "You… love me? That's it?" Mai stared back at him. She had not been expecting that outcome at all, and her body had no idea what to do. "T-That's it? What… I just confessed to you… A student like me, falling for a man like you, that's got to mean something wrong…" He shrugged. "Well, I must say I'd rather not know exactly what you meant by crazy, but… honestly, I can't say I'm offended by your words, Mai. You're only a teenager, after all." That did it for Mai. Her brittle wall of strength crumbled from the force of Mr. Takara's words. She leaned forward on the desk, finding an empty space and started crying. "Y-You… Say all that like it's nothing…. I-I did things… I imagined th-things about y-you… I h-hurt Kisane's feelings b-by wanting you, after all we h-had been through…" Mr. Takara got up off his chair and circled around to Mai, grasping her hand gently and then pulling her close like a father would. "There there… You're overreacting a bit, Mai. I know it feels so strongly to you, but didn't you feel the same about Kisane back when you were together? And I bet you've had a crush on someone else before that when you were little. It's just something humans do. We get lonely sometimes and want to love somebody, hoping to be loved in return. Sometimes it works out the first try, but usually it takes a while. I've had my fair share of love interests as well…" He patted Mai on the back, and her crying reduced to a few sniffles. "B-But… The way I felt about you… it's just as wrong and when I wanted Kisane, maybe worse… this school doesn't look kindly upon weird things like that…"

The young teacher frowned. "Yeah well, humans do that too. Some of them, anyway, the ones I'm not very fond of teaching. But Mai… Even though it seems like everyone's against you when you make a choice like that, the most important thing to remember is what's important to you. Did you truly love Kisane?" Mai looked away. "I… I was happy with her, at least. She made me feel very good. But I felt almost as strongly about you as well, so I just don't know anymore…" He turned her face towards her. "Mai… I can't tell you what's right and what's wrong, that's your decision, but in my opinion, Kisane seems like a very nice girl, and I think if you gave it another go, you two could be very happy together. But if you're still a little nervous… There's a very quiet young man that sits in the very back corner of the room who's been eyeing you for a while, but he always shies out before he gets even halfway to you. I think it would make his day if you noticed him." She gasped. "W-What… a guy… looking at me?! I never noticed him" She let go of him, and he chuckled. "Kinda hard without eyes on the back of year head." She giggled as well, feeling very relieved, and almost enlightened. "Thanks so much, Mr. Takara. You've given me a lot to think about… I need some alone time now. Thanks for not thinking I'm weird or something." He smiled and waved. "Now why would I do that? Now go out and have some fun!" She smiled and ran away, shouting behind her, "I sure will!"

-End of Lesson-


End file.
